Love Can Defy Time
by dax-fox
Summary: Alec and Jace accidently end up back in time... in Victorian London, how will Jace react to meeting his ancestor? How will Alec react to meeting a Magnus who has never known him and is in love with another?
1. The Portal

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or the Mortal Instruments series for that matter. The pleasure instead belongs to Cassandra Clare._

_Authors Note: The circumstances under which they end up back in time are rather clumsy but I promise it gets better!_

"No. I don't believe you. We are now bordering on ridiculous and I'm just not having it," Simon crossed his arms defiantly as Magnus continued his work in thoughtful silence, having blocked out the mad banter that had been surrounding him for the last half an hour.

"Are you being serious Daylighter? After discovering a world full of demons, werewolf's and Shadowhunters, after turning into a freaking downworlder yourself, the thing that pushes you over the edge is time travel? Seriously, Simon, that's lame," answered Jace from a Victorian style armchair. "Anyway, I thought with all your role-playing fetishes you would be a lot more open to this stuff."

"I don't have a role-playing fetish; I play a few online games, that's all."

"Whatever you say," Jace grinned.

Simon sighed and wandered over to the window but all he could see was a flurry of snow painting the city white. All the high-rising tower blocks looked like giant icicles piercing through the earth, going up into a sky that was already tuning black as night approached.

Magnus finally looked about him, shifting his eyes between the two with an arched eyebrow, "Are you both quite finished with your petty little mutterings? I am actually doing work over here, paid work I might add, unlike the torrent of favours I do for the Lightwoods. Although I do expect to be paid one day, you know."

His eyes glazed over slightly as he considered all the back payments and interest he could perhaps one day claim, he wouldn't of course, but there was no harm in dreaming...

"I don't think you quite understand the meaning of the word 'favour'," Jace said, sitting up in the chair with his feet resting on a rather old looking oak table.

"Well you could at least pay me to replace that table. Now you've touched it I have to burn it," Magnus drawled.

Jace stuck out his tongue petulantly but nevertheless moved his booted feet begrudgingly off the table. He then decided to stand up all together and inspect Magnus's work. "So this can really make someone go back in time?"

"Hey," Simon said sternly, "You can't laugh at me for being sceptical about time travel then turn it on yourself just a few minutes later!"

"It's not polite to interrupt people, you know," Jace replied in a crisp tone before turning back to Magnus with a smile on his face, "as we were saying...?"

"Of course it can, I'm not a dufus you know. It's not _that_ hard to go back in time."

"Then why don't people do it all the time?" Simon moved away from the window and sat in the chair that Jace had left vacant moments before.

Magnus turned to him with a wide smile on his face and the light caught his cat-like eyes in a way that made them gleam menacingly. All of a sudden he reminded Simon very much of the Cheshire Cat.

"It's a bit of warlock secret. We don't exactly broadcast it or we would have more work then we could handle."

"Then how did _this_ client find out?"

Magnus shrugged, "It's not my problem how he found out. I've just got to make sure spells right. Jace, where is Alec?"

Jace raised an eyebrow, "Don't you remember me coming in here and going "hey Magnus, where is Alec?" and you saying "I don't know but he said he would be here at seven so why not hang around". Any of this ringing any bells at all?"

Magnus thought about it for a moment then snorted. "Not really."

"I heard it!"

"Not really helping my case here, Simon."

There was a knock on the door and Magnus leapt up and tugged it open. "Alec! Finally you've come to save me from these two!"

Magnus tugged a heavily padded sleeve through the door and with it came Alec Lightwood; a fine sprinkling of snow lay over him, contrasting dramatically with the black of his hair.

"I'm the one he's saving," muttered Jace gave Alec a gentle pat on the shoulder after Magnus had finally torn himself away to go and zap up some hot chocolate.

"No gloves, no scarf, no hat, what were you thinking, darling?" Magnus called from the kitchen.

"I was in a rush when I left the Institute-"Alec shouted in reply as he tugged his heavy coat off and shivered. "What's this meant to be for?"

He pointed at the pentagram.

Simon shrugged, "Time travel apparently."

"Jace, you _are not_ going back in time. Mum would kill you."

"The thought hadn't occurred to me but now you bring it up-"

"It's for one of Magnus's clients," interrupted Simon.

Jace spun around to look at him. "Always stealing my thunder aren't you?"

"Pretty much."

Magnus came back in with an elaborate silver tray upon which sat four steaming cups of hot chocolate. He placed it on the table and then placed each cup on a ceramic saucer, except for Alec's which he gave to him personally. Alec groped the hot mug tightly as he suddenly realised just how cold he really was.

They sipped in silence for a while, until Jace got bored.

"So, what's with the antique furniture and accessories?"

"I just fancied a change and I've had this stuff lying around for ages. It's Victorian, which is ironic all things considered." He giggled to himself and Alec gazed at him with curiosity burning in his eyes.

"Why is it ironic?"

Now Magnus smiled slyly, "Because that is where my client wishes to go. One ticket to Victorian England." He broke eye contact with Alec and continued drinking nonchalantly.

Alec looked at the pentagram again.

"Don't tell me, you were there, right?" Simon said.

"Am I really that predictable?"

Alec stopped paying attention to the conversation. He was transfixed by the pentagram and where it went, and who was there... _Magnus... in Victorian England... years before I was even born..._

"Do you want any more, blue eyes?" Alec was startled out of his thoughts and looked up to see Magnus with his hand touching his arm and staring intently into his eyes.

Jace rolled his eyes and stood up again to stalk the room, like a restless tiger prowls around a cage.

That was when the lights went out- not only in the apartment but all over the city. With a bang and a crack the apartment was drenched in a heavy quilt of darkness.

"None of you move." hissed Magnus. Alec felt him let go of his arm and heard the crunching of fabric as Magnus moved to the far side of the room.

"That's what happens if you stare intently into someone's eyes, you two. It overloads the whole electrics system! An-"

There was a crash and then the room was suddenly lit up again by blue flames that arose from the pentangle, and inside of them was a fallen Jace.

"I'm thinking this is a bad place to be right now," quipped Jace although Alec could tell that he was on edge.

"I told you not to move, you stupid Shadowhunter!" cried Magnus as the flames grew taller and enveloped Jace.

"Can't you stop it?" cried Alec turning to Magnus swiftly, with a note of panic in his voice that annoyed Magnus, _always the blonde..._

"I can't stop it at this stage." Magnus looked at Jace who was sitting awkwardly amongst the flames and was already beginning to fade. "You're going to have to go with it Jace. But it only lasts five days then you get dragged back here, understand? Five days to keep out of trouble!" Magnus shouted over the crackling, magical flames.

Alec grabbed both of Magnus's wrists tightly and their eyes ripped into each other.

"I have to go too."

"No, Alec! _No!_ It's dangerous!"

"Exactly I can't leave him there, you know he can't keep out of trouble, I'm going, Magnus."

Alec jumped into the pentagram and the flames swallowed him and Jace up entirely and then settled down as if dowsed until there was nothing left but ashes. The room fell in to darkness again.

Magnus stood quite still. His arms were still hanging listlessly in mid-air.

Simon broke the silence first.

"That was an eventful half an hour."


	2. The Landing

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or the Mortal Instruments series for that matter. The pleasure instead belongs to Cassandra Clare.**

Their bodies slammed on to the cold, solid pavement. A thick layer of snow broke their fall but only marginally.

Immediately alert, Jace leapt to his feet and took in his surroundings. It took a few moments for his eyes to adjust to the dim lighting provided by an old gas lit street lamp. Alec, meanwhile, merely sat up in the snow clutching his head in pain. He watched wearily as Jace tensed up, poised in case of attack. After a few minutes Jace managed to convince himself that all was safe and for the first time since arriving on the grimy streets of Victorian London he noticed his adopted brother sitting dazedly in the snow.

"Alec, what are you doing here?"

"Well, I came after you, didn't I? You'd get into trouble otherwise," Alec grimaced. " By the Angel my head hurts."

Jace moved closer and bent down in the snow before him. He grabbed hold of the black haired youth's face and stared into his eyes.

"Don't blink," the blonde demanded. Alec blushed; having Jace stare intently into his eyes was uncomfortable for him at the best of times, let alone when his mind was disorientated by time travel not to mention a heavy fall.

Jace sighed and Alec couldn't work out if it was out of annoyance or worry. Jace let go of Alec's face and swiftly broke eye contact. "You must have hit your head. I think you have concussion."

He stood up and held his hands out to Alec who hesitantly accepted the offer and was soon standing on his feet. As he stood a wave of nausea flushed through him and he stumbled. Jace quickly caught hold of him and tried to support his body weight.

"Typical. We're stuck in some random place in a random country, in a random time and you decide to get concussion."

"Sorry," whispered Alec softly. He shivered. All he had was a thin black t-shirt, covered in snow that was already melting on his skin. _I really shouldn't have taken my coat off at Magnus's place_.

He noticed his arms trembling beneath Jace's firm grip.

Jace's expression softened. "Don't be sorry. I'm just a bit stressed, ok? Let's find somewhere warm then I'll see about giving you a healing rune."

They made a funny pair staggering down the street, one supporting the other. "I'm glad you came. Alec," Jace muttered under his breath. Every exhale caused a poof of steam to emerge from his lips.

Alec blushed again and smiled weakly. "Thanks."

"You better be 'cause that's the only compliment you're going to get for the rest of our time travel trip. I'm all out of positivity as of right now."

That's when they heard a crunch of snow behind them. They both stopped dead. Someone was there...But no matter how much they strained their ears they couldn't hear anything else.  
"Must have been a bird," muttered Jace. As soon as he said it he knew he was wrong. Paranoia rife in their minds the boys trudged on, not sure where on earth they were headed but convinced that as long as they kept moving they would find somewhere inviting like a public house or hotel to go inside.

There was another crunch behind them and Jace's head whipped around to catch the culprit but before he knew it a strong arm was gripping his chest and the biting cold of metal was digging at his throat. Alec fell to the ground and found a thin young man with unusually silver eyes and hair to match. The man was holding a long seraph blade pointed at Alec's heart that when combined with his dramatic hair and eyes gave him the look of an avenging angel preparing to pass judgement on the purity of Alec's heart.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here," sung out Jace's captor in a tone of excited over-confidence. Jace could feel the heat of his breath flowing down his neck and could see the steam rising over his left shoulder from the man's moth as the heat attacked the chill of the air.  
"Let go of me," Jace growled.

"Rather demanding, aren't you?" replied the mysterious man.

Jace spun around, his right fist crashing into the man's face as his left hand grabbed the end of the knife that just moments ago had been digging further into the skin of his neck and pushed it violently aside before pulling out his own blade.

"When I tell you to let go, I mean it," spat Jace through gritted teeth.

He quickly adopted a crouched down position, ready to pounce on his attacker like a cat on a mouse. His opponent did the same and they circled each other as if in a heated dance of wills.

"Will. They are Shadowhunters, this one has marks." Jace looked away from his attacker for a moment to glance at the slender, pale boy who had now lowered his blade from Alec's chest. But Will saw his momentary distraction and took advantage and before Jace knew it he was lying with his back in the snow, looking up at the starry night sky.

"Will!"

"The boy was being annoying. You cannot expect me to just let him get away with mocking me without some form of retribution, Jem."

Jace pulled his head up and looked at the one named Will properly. He noticed that the boy had deep blue eyes that reminded him of Alec, even their hair was the same colour. _Only this guy is totally arrogant and if anyone's annoying it's __**him**__._

Alec could barely feel his fingers any more as they grew numb in the cold. He was so tired. No longer able to focus on the scene around him Alec let himself go, mind and body, in to the darkness that had been creeping around th edges of his conciousness and fainted.

* * *

"Why are you here anyway?" exclaimed Magnus.

Simon looked thoughtful for a moment. "That's a good question. I think I just needed some company. You know, with the girls away shopping in Paris."

"So you thought you would choose Jace as a substitute?"

"Hey, I never said it was a good plan."

Magnus shook his head in exasperation. He didn't feel like he could cope with much of anything right now. He collapsed down into an armchair and stared dully out of the window.

"At least the lights came back on."

"At least," replied Magnus quietly.

Simon sat down near to him. "Come on, your Magnus Bane for goodness sake; don't get all depressed on me."

Magnus didn't take his eyes away from the window. "My boyfriend has run off to save his adopted brother who he had a crush on for years and, may I add, a crush he hasn't entirely dissolved yet. He's gone after him, ignoring my advice completely and now he'll probably go looking for me in the past." He sighed.

"Well, that's a good thing right?"

"How, in the world, is any of this good?" Magnus sat up straighter and glared at Simon.

"Because it means that despite the fact Alec has gone back in time, he's gone to see you not have a themed holiday with Jace."

"No, you don't get it; I can't let him see me!" said Magnus, head in his hands.

"Why not? No, hang on a minute, will it muck up the space time continuum?"

"Simon, it's much worse than that," Magnus sighed again, more heavily than before. "He'll meet my girlfriend."


	3. Suspicious

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or the Mortal Instruments series for that matter. The pleasure instead belongs to Cassandra Clare._

_A/N: This is my little Christmas present to all of those who have taken the time to read, review, subscribe and favourite this story. I really appreciate it; I have never had so many people interested in one of my stories before so I've tried to give you all a fairly substantial chapter until I write the next instalment. I apologise in advance for some grammar/spelling errors, I was rushing to publish this one! My house flooded yesterday so this has been a great way to take my mind off of things, like the damp carpets, lack of water and the hole in the wall :D _

_I hope you enjoy this chapter and I wish you all a very merry Christmas._

_P.S. The beginning of this chapter may seem totally random but it makes sense in terms of the bigger story as will be revealed in later chapters as there is an underlying storyline going on between Magnus and Alec in the present._

**Flashback to a week before **

"Honestly Magnus, what do you want for Christmas?"

"Alec, I'm not trying to make things difficult. I honestly don't know."

The couple sat down in a secluded booth in the busy restaurant. They faced each other; the air was electrified with the tension emanating from their silence. Meanwhile the soft clatter and murmur of perpetual sound continued all around them as the other customers continued their lives, oblivious to the troubles of the young Shadowhunter and not so young warlock.

Magnus watched his lover closely and registered every nervous twitch. Finally Alec's blue eyes fluttered upwards and Magnus caught his gaze and Alec felt trapped by him, unable to avoid Magnus' eye line any longer. This wasn't about Christmas presents. This was going back to **that subject** they had promised to never speak of again. That Alec had promised to let go of...

"Are we going to spend the whole night like this?" asked Magnus, an unusual hint of annoyance reached Alec's ears. Alec crossed his arms defensively.

"Like what exactly."

"Alec, please don't be so difficult. You know what I mean and I hate it when we argue." The warlock's voice rose uncontrollably by the time he got to the word "hate". After his explosive exclamation he looked around to see several people staring in their direction. With raised eyebrows. Magnus turned away from their heated gazes stiffly and instead concentrated on the curved edges of the luxurious booth they sat in.

"And you think I enjoy it?" hissed Alec his hands pushing down on the tabletop so hard Magnus wondered if he might break it.

Magnus sat back in to the chair, his mouth agape, "I never said that!"

Again, with the awkward stares of total strangers.

Magnus shook his head with a sigh and looked down at Alec's hands. He could tell by their twitching that Alec was building up an intensity that he was about to unleash any minute now...

"May I take your orders, sirs?" Magnus knew that voice. He could barely muster the strength to look up. The very idea that she could be here, of all the people in the entire world to sneak up on him, on tonight of all nights...

**Victorian London**

Charlotte stood stock still as she took in the scene before her. Alec Lightwood had been carried into one of the many bedrooms in the Institute. It was a large room that was heavily decorated in preparation for the Christmas period. Delicate and tasteful little ornaments lined the shelves and bunting hung across the ceiling. The two large armchairs in the corner were filled by Will and Jem who were talking amongst themselves in hushed voices. Even Henry had come up from his laboratory, in what was once the crypt of the old church, to inspect their new, if rather unconscious, guest.

The other one, who only gave them the name "Jace" but nothing else, claimed they had been coming to attend the Christmas Ball at the institute... but something didn't feel right about the pair, they wore such strange garments for one thing and they had been walking away from the institute for another.

"Excuse me Mrs Branwell," Sophie appeared by Charlotte's side like an apparition, "but I found this on the stairs." She held out a thin black wallet that seemed to shimmer in the lamplight. "I believe it may have fallen out of the young gentleman's pocket when he was carried up the stairs."

Charlotte took it out of Sophie's hands but before she could properly look at it her thoughts were interrupted.

"You know, I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like this!" Exclaimed her husband, she turned her head to look at him and saw Henry looking intently at the Shadowhunters limp wrist which was hanging off the edge of the bed. Henry smiled and looked up at her as he held up Alec's left arm. "Look Charlotte, he has the most curious time-piece."

He was about to undo the catch on Alec's watch but Charlotte held out her hand. "Henry, let's not act like pickpockets. At least wait until the poor boy wakes up and ask his permission."

The corners of his smiling mouth drooped and he let Alec's arm fall out of his grasp. His eyes seemed to widen as they looked longingly at Alec's watch. Charlotte shook her head slightly but couldn't help but smile slightly at Henry's sweet expression; he looked like a puppy longing for a treat.

However, her attentions quickly returned to the wallet. She turned it around in her slender hands a few times before flipping it open. The contents of the wallet surprised her very much indeed. There were a number of thick cards within it but one in particular caught her eye. It was tucked in a compartment right at the back and its corners curled as if it had been taken out many times. This card was black but, like the wallet itself seemed to shimmer oddly in the light as if it were the night sky, sprinkled with thousands of tiny stars. But it wasn't the card that surprised her; it was what was written on it, in silver ink. It read:

To my dearest Alec Lightwood,

I hope you like this gift and that you have a wonderful birthday. I'm sorry I couldn't be there.

Love, _Magnus Bane_

"Lightwood?" she breathed.

Will started paying attention immediately. "By the Angel, don't tell me he is another one of that old devil's children?"

"Will, go and check on our other guest."

Will looked confused for a second before regaining his normal composure. "You can't just send me away when I ask tricky questions. I'm not a child. Get Sophie to do it."

"I wasn't trying to send you away Will. I'm just thinking that we may need to keep a closer eye on our new acquaintance then we first thought..." Her voice trailed off as her mind continued to mull over the situation.

After a few moments of awkward stillness where Will stood his ground, crossing his arms defiantly, Jem stood up. "I'll go see to him." He said, quietly before leaving the room. Charlotte began to thank him but he had already gone.

"What did you find? Is he a Lightwood?" Will moved to her side. With a sigh Charlotte passed him the card. Henry was kneeling on the floor, still gazing at Alec's watch.

"Magnus Bane, explains the blue sparks if nothing else."

"Will. Find him and bring him here, take Jem with you. I think we have a few questions to ask our old friend."

"Yes sir." Will grinned. Within seconds he had disappeared down the corridor.

Charlotte walked over to Henry. He didn't seem to notice her approach at all. She felt the odd urge to ruffle his red hair as he knelt there but she thought better of it. "Henry? Do you think you could go see our other guest when you're done here? Take him down your laboratory if you want, but keep an eye on him."

"Hmm? Oh. Yes, of course darling."

* * *

Jace stared into the full length mirror, surprised by what he saw. His upper body was covered by a heavy, white cotton shirt and over it a black waistcoat with silver embroidery hung tightly to his muscular frame. The silver buttons glinted in the vague glow of the gas-lit lamp. A thin ribbon of black silk lay in his loosely clenched hands. They had told him it was meant to go around the collar of his shirt.

He wore stiff black trousers that were made out of the same material as his waistcoat. Jace looked briefly over his shoulder at the remnants of his old clothes that were lying on the heavy duvet of the elegant four poster bed. They were dirty and damp as the snow had melted due to the gentle warmth provided by the fireplace at the far side of the room.

Hesitantly he looped the ribbon around his collar and slowly tied the slippery ribbon into a neat bow. Eyes shining, he tentatively touched the glass, meeting the hand of his refection, his fingers splayed in a fan. The ribbon had been the final piece... Now he was transformed in to a Victorian gentleman, on the surface, anyway. It disturbed him slightly to see himself so changed.

A knock on the door broke the enchantment his reflection had held over him.

"Yes?"

The heavy door inched open as if it wished to tease Jace by testing his patience. Eventually the tall elegant Shadowhunter who Jace believed was known as Jem slipped through a thin gap between the door and the frame before pushing the door shut again behind him. Jem slowly took in Jace's dirty clothes on the bed before turning towards Jace himself.

"Sophie shall take care of your clothes. They will be as good as new by this time tomorrow."

Jace crossed his arms impatiently. After two hours of being introduced to a number of people inside the London Institute and being practically interrogated by Charlotte he was not prepared to waste time on empty, meaningless conversation.

"How is Alec?"

"He will be fine. But he does require some rest. Charlotte thinks that it will be for the best if you both remain with us for the duration of your stay."

"Well we were planning to stay over anyway. We had come to attend the Christmas Ball, remember?"

Jem smiled slightly and stared Jace straight in the eyes. "And you were lying, remember?"

Jace's body tensed as Jem sat down on the bed casually. "You may have tricked some of the others but you cannot fool me. There is something of the Herondale about you and believe me, when you get to know someone like Will as well as I do, you can spot a liar."

Jace's eyes widened, "Herondale? Will is a Herondale?"

"Yes, is the name familiar to you?" Jem moved his knee up on to the bed, twisting his body around to face Jace who had backed into the mirror.

"Hello there!" Jace and Jem's heads spun around to the door where they could see Will's face peaking through and then his whole body emerge swiftly through the door before slamming it behind him. He didn't share the same elegant carefulness in his treatment of the furniture as Jem had just minutes before.

Jem scowled slightly, "You're getting into bad habits, Will. Sneaking up on people is improper."

"So is speaking my name in vain" He crossed his arms and winked at Jace conspiratorially. All Jace could think to do was raise his eyebrows. _**This**__ is my ancestor?_

Will walked into the room and took no further notice of Jace, "Charlotte has given us our orders. We must find Mr Bane."

"Why?" asked Jem.

"He is tied to this mess somehow" his hand motioned towards Jace. "His name is-"

"I am here you know. Unless I've been gifted with the power of invisibility in the last few minutes, and believe me, if I had been I would find much better things to do with my time then listen to you two mutter on. Like break into girls changing room perhaps. But no, I'm here therefore I am visible."

"Women on the brain are they, my friend?" Now Will was interested and a smile blossomed on his face.

Jem's eyes flickered between the two then he shook his head with a sigh and stood up, grabbing Will's arm as he did so. "Come on you, we're going on a warlock hunt."

They were at the door again before Will spun around, "What did you say your name was again?"

"Jace."

"Jace, what?"

"None of your business. But what is my business is how hostile you're treating me. We are all Nephilim, we're all on the same team here."

Will's smile fell, and he stared at Jace aggressively, "Let me explain how this whole situation looks from our point of view. Two young men appear out of nowhere in a flurry of blue sparks. They have foreign accents, funny clothes, aren't at all sure where they are and to top it all off you won't even give us your full name although if it is Jace None-of-your-business then quite frankly I have nothing but sympathy for you. But as it is, I highly doubt it. Both of you are highly suspicious. Besides your friend is a Lightwood and I hate Lightwoods" He smiled dementedly. "See you later, my little Nephilim friend."

Jace scowled, but they were gone before he could think of anything to say back.

* * *

As they traversed down the dark corridor, guided by witchlight, Will nudged Jem's arm. "I reckon he is a Lightwood too. For reasons I cannot pinpoint, I don't like him. But, if he is a Lightwood then that explains it."

Jem couldn't help but laugh. "Will, you don't like anybody."

* * *

Jace waited until he heard the sound of their footsteps gradually die out. Glancing between his reflection in the mirror and then back to the door that stood ajar, he made a decision.

_If they think I'm just going to sit here like a good boy they've got another thing coming._

_

* * *

_**Half an Hour Later**

_Alec Lightwood felt as light as air. Before his eyes he could see a distorted mixture of colour and light and just as an image seemed to solidify before him it would start to quiver then shatter into a million shining shards of jagged glass. Occasionally he could make out voices, but they were unusual voices that he never heard before in his life... until this one voice came. One he knew very well, but couldn't quite place..._

They had all, apart from Henry and Jace, neither of whom had been seen for the last half hour, gathered once again in the room where Alec lay.

Magnus Bane, as flamboyant as ever stooped over the unconscious Shadowhunter. After inspecting the boys face closely he straightened up. "I have never seen him in my life." He shook his slightly.

"Then why is your name on a card that we found about his person?"

Magnus arched an eyebrow as he fiddled with his jewel encrusted walking stick. "You searched him? That was rather forward of you."

Will sniggered but stopped after a dark look from Charlotte.

"You are our friend Mr Bane but I have to remind you of our concerns in relation to our newest guests, and you are only lead."

Magnus seemed to ignore them for a moment, but then he looked Charlotte directly in the eyes, disconcerting her slightly.

"May I see this incriminating evidence of yours?"

Charlotte nodded at Jem; he went to the heavy oak desk sitting in the corner and picked up the card from its polished surface. He passed it to Magnus before returning to Charlotte's side. The two boys had taken up a naturally defensive position either side of her.

Magnus spun the card around in his hands. "It is a gorgeous card." He purred quietly to himself before concentrating on the writing. As he read his brow furrowed. "I don't understand it..." He said slowly.

"You don't remember writing it?" asked Charlotte.

"It's not just that I don't remember doing it, I **didn't** do it."

"So we can add forgery to their list of suspicious deeds." said Will.

Jem smiled, "This is starting to sound like a cheesy mystery novel."

"Cheesy as it may be, I think your little guest is waking up." Magnus was looking at Alec again now and could see his eyes fluttering open. They were pretty eyes, he thought to himself, very blue. He moved closer to the bed.

The colours that had been dancing before Alec's eyes finally seemed to settle down and his eyes grew accustomed to the dim lighting. The first thing he could make out properly was a pair of gold-green eyes, with split pupils. It was him. "Magnus?" Alec said groggily. _Maybe all that stuff about going back in time was just a dream... _But then he noticed the look in those unusual eyes, one of confusion and distrust, not love or even recognition. Then Alec took in the rest of his attire and realised that this was not _his_ Magnus, this was practically another person entirely. With this realisation came a sharp pang of something like fear in his heart. There were other people standing around him too. He recognised at least two of them from his rather violent welcome to London.

"I would be very interested to know how you know my name, Nephilim, not to mention, why you decided to forge my handwriting." Alec could see the black card he held and flashes of silver as it twirled in Magnus' hand. _The gift tag! I always forget to take it out of the wallet... _Alec thought, somewhat regretfully. He wasn't even accustomed to carrying around a wallet anyway, but then Magnus had bought it for him...

"He probably has a thing for you. You know these Lightwoods," Will gestured towards Alec with a raised eyebrow, "having inappropriate feelings for Downworlders probably runs in the family."

* * *

**The Present**

It was now pitch black outside and Magnus Bane lay sprawled on his bed, staring at the ceiling. "Where are you Alec?" he whispered to the empty room.


	4. Of Dreams and Strangers

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Mortal Instruments or Infernal Devices series. **

**A/n: **I hope you like this chapter... I know it's been awhile since I last posted but you know what they say, absence makes the heart grow stronger, right? *silence* Right guys?

OK sorry for all the italics at the start but it is a stylistic thing that will make sense by the end of the section. The bold "He" and "His" bits in this section are there to help you keep track of who is doing what, it is kinda confusing, but intentionally so :D trust me on this one.

Jace and Jem are playing Chopin - Nocturne for piano and violin.

www (.) youtube (.) com/watch?v=VvVX-6zb5N8&feature=related

(take out the spaces and brackets.)

**Dreams, Strangers, Interrogations and Surprises**

_The grand hall was filled with magnificent notes that swirled in a sea around __**him**__, smothering the senses. __**His**__ eyes caught flashes of gold and silver as they surveyed the room with a hunger for detail. __**He **__felt a need, no, a compulsion, to digest it all so not one single bit could be lost in the dusts of time, wasted in the realm of the past once it was no longer of the present. _

_A chandelier hung in the centre of the ceiling, its grandeur was comparable to that of the renaissance kings who lived and breathed splendour. Against __**his**__ better judgement, in __**his**__ heart __**he**__ had decided that __**he **__never wanted to forget this moment. __**He**__ would treasure it for years on end and feel __**his**__ pulse race when every so often __**he**__ would find himself transfixed in a reverie, reliving this very moment. _It does not mean that I love Camille any the less... I do love her... But there is something about him that hypnotises me... I shall love him just for this moment, surely that is not long enough to be conceived as betrayal?

_**He**__ swallowed nervously, feeling betrayed by __**his**__ own heart which would not stop thumping because __he_was there. _The blue-eyed boy, in all his beauty, stood by __**his**__ side. He stood as still and elegant as a marble statue carved by an angel. The boy looked utterly delicious; his thin but elegant frame was clothed beautifully in a well fitted black tailcoat. His waistcoat and shirt were also black but they were cut in a style that made them seem far from plain. At the boys neck a thin, silky blue ribbon held the stiff collars of his shirt fastened together. The blue matched his eyes and made them stand out all the more against his pearly white skin and lightly pink lips which were set off by the gentle warm blush in his cheeks. _

_**He**__ tried to empty __**his **__mind, focusing instead on the gold __**he**__ had seen earlier. It was the hair of the "other one", shifting graciously under the bright lights as the boy's slender hands and masterful fingers ran feverishly over the keys of the grand piano that sat in the corner, commanding a dominating presence. That was the source of the poisonous music that aroused and enticed such romantic and, conversely, forbidden feelings in __**his**__ aged heart. _

_Not the only source though, of course, for beside the piano stood a tall young man who seemed drained of colour. His hair was silver, but still shined with the same exuberance of the golden hair of the boy beside him. This other man had his eyes shut and if only his head could be seen spectators would have been forgiven for thinking that he was merely sleeping and his mind had floated away to a realm of peaceful dreams... But with his whole body in view it was clear that his chin rested not on a pillow, but on a violin. His hands and finger were equally as slender, elegant and masterful as that of the pianist. Together they recreated the lucid tones of Chopin's Nocturne, especially written to produce a wondrous duet between the piano and violin. The instruments sung their song together in perfect harmony. It was hauntingly riveting and seemed to invade and electrify every cell of __**his**__ body. Every note made __**him**__ tingle._

_**He**__ felt something on__** his**__ arm, it felt as light as the dainty touch of a butterfly but when __**he**__ looked __**he**__ instead saw the blue-eyed boy's hand. __**He**__ looked up in to those glimmering sapphires and couldn't help but smile. It was one of those smiles that creep across your lips without permission and refuse to be controlled by your mind which lies to itself by repeating uselessly that "I am not in love" as if it were a prayer._

"_Won't you dance with me?" The blue-eyed boy whispers through his equally smiling lips. __**His**__ heart skips a beat as __**he**__ realises that they are sharing the same smile; that they have, for a brief moment, a perfect understanding of each other. _

_**He**__ takes his hand gently and purposely. "The Minuet?"_

_The blue-eyed boy chuckles gently, it is a wonderful sound. "I don't know how to."_

_The smile overpowers __**him**__ now. "It's not too difficult. I'll teach you."_

_The blue-eyed boy consents and soon they are circling each other like predators trying to find each other's weakness. They should not look at each other, but they do, they cannot keep their eyes off one another. Their hands are joined but only loosely as they fear the rejection of anything stronger. Wary of each other's thoughts and feelings they continue to go round in circles, never getting anywhere. Until the blue-eyed boy stops, just stops moving at all and breathes deeply as if he is afraid. _

_**He**__ reaches out to the blue-eyed boy and touches his shoulder, tenderly. The blue-eyed boy looks at __**him**__ steadily before parting his lips and moving towards __**his**__ own. Just before their lips __**he**__ lets out a strangled cry and pushes the blue-eyes boy away._

"_No Alexander!" He cries through tears, "I can't Alec, I just can't!" _

_Alec_

Alec

**Alec**

Magnus Bane woke up with a start. He panted heavily before looking around in the darkness and seeing the familiar, dark shapes that made up his room. In Brooklyn. In the present.

_Was it a dream or a memory I had long forgotten?_

"Alec?" He whispered.

**The Past:**

"He probably has a thing for you. You know these Lightwoods," Will gestured towards Alec with a raised eyebrow, "having inappropriate feelings for Downworlders probably runs in the family."

_Lightwood? I never told them my name. This is like some kind of a nightmare. _Alec blinked at the absurdity of the situation in which he now found himself. Jace was nowhere to be seen, and his boyfriend was now just a stranger. His eyesight blurred momentarily and he suddenly felt very heavy. His hand clutched his forehead and as he did so he noticed his hair was still damp, but whether it was from the melted snow or if it was just his own sweat, he could not tell. He felt hot and faint all over again. Slowly and reluctantly Alec sat up properly and lent heavily against the headrest of the bed. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as glaring eyes followed his every move, but still, he took his time as he rearranged himself. This also gave him all the more time to think.

Finally he settled down and then, hesitantly, he surveyed the expectant faces once again.

Yeah, they were still staring.

_What am I meant to say? "I'm from the future, so don't worry, after a week I'll be off again..." Hopefully... If what Magnus said was right..._

The group around him began to grow impatient as they watched Alec's brow furrow in concentration. Eventually Magnus broke the silence. "Nephilim, for the last time, why did you forge my handwriting?"

The cold, harsh tones made Alec flinch once again. His mind felt too numb to function properly, but somewhere out of his dazed imagination he plucked out an answer to the question. However, as the words began to leave his mouth he realised how pathetic his answer was. _Although_, he reassured himself_, it's a lot better than the truth_.

"I never forged anybodies signature, I got it from a different Magnus Bane." _Not too far from the truth._

_"_A different Magnus Bane?" Repeated Charlotte in disbelieve.

"Yes!" Exclaimed Alec.

_Might as well just go for it now I've started down this bizarre track..._

"More than one person can share the same name, you know." He crossed his arms firmly.

Magnus looked down at him disapprovingly before sitting at the end of the bed. "I don't mean to be..." The warlock's eyes squinted as he searched in the distance for the right word. "Patronising, but my name is very uncommon, rare perhaps maybe a better word-"

"You'd be surprised." Alec interrupted.

Magnus's eyes narrowed as he focused on the young man sitting before him whose face was pale, but his blue eyes defiant and firm. "Right, so there is another Magnus Bane floating around whom whilst sharing the same, rare, name as I, also has exactly the same handwriting as myself?" He waved the black card, with the shimmering handwriting in front of Alec's face as he spoke.

Alec shrugged nervously, "Well, that's just one of those strange coincidences... Wait, how do I know you really do have the same handwriting, how do I know that you are even Magnus Bane yourself?" Alec raised his eyebrows triumphantly but in his head he was running around in circles, waving his hands in the air and screaming. _By the Angels, I haven't got a clue where the hell I'm going with all this!_

Magnus stared at him indignantly, "You're questioning who **I **am?"

"I think you're missing the point of an interrogation, kid. We ask you the questions, not the other way around." said Will.

Alec leapt off the bed, his dizziness forgotten. "I am not a kid! I bet I'm older then _you_ for a start!"

"Want a bet?" grumbled Will. Then he turned away from Alec, dismissively, and instead addressed Jem and Charlotte in a conversational tone. "The likenesses between family members really can be quite startling can't it?"

Alec blinked in confusion.

**Meanwhile:**

Jace had kept to his word and as soon as he was sure that Jem and Will were far gone he had promptly disobeyed their implied orders and left the confines of the small room in which they had exiled him. _It's their own fault really_, he thought to himself_, if you think someone is a threat your first notion isn't usually to leave them alone in an unlocked room and hope they "do the polite thing and stay put"._

For the last half hour he had been exploring the Institute, which was set out in an old church very similar to the one that he himself called home. To begin with he had been cautious in his exploration and as stealthy as possible, but he soon found that the place was quite empty. His tour of the building had not been interrupted once when he eventually found the front door through which only a few hours ago he had first entered. In a funny twist of fate that is traditionally relegated to the land of film and literature, it was at the moment that Will Herondale and Jem Carstairs returned, with a guest. As soon as Jace heard the door begin to open he had pushed himself right up against the wall, straining his eyes to peek around the corner to see who had arrived with the two young Shadowhunters.

It had taken all of Jace's willpower to prevent himself from gasping at who he saw accompanying the pair, for it was Magnus Bane in the flesh, standing in all of his usual, peculiar elegance in a long black tail-coat. Although, Jace had to admit that this Magnus seemed a touch more sophisticated than the one he knew.

It was a strange experience to see such a familiar face in such a strange an alien place. There were so many things about Magnus, even all these years in the past, that remained faithful to Jace's memories of him, but still... there were also many things about this tall and somewhat imposing man that made Magnus seem like a complete stranger.

After taking off their coats the three men made to go up the stairs. Jace bit his lip thoughtfully before deciding to follow them, he needed to find Alec and chances were that somehow, despite being in a different time and apparently a fairly different person to the one he would one day become, Magnus would be able to lead Jace to his brother.

That was how Jace found himself alternately listening through the door and then peering intently through the crack between the frame and the door itself as Alec was "interrogated". At first he had been prepared to force his way in and save Alec "damsel in distress" style (a phrase Alec himself would have hated, but he wasn't there to comment.) But then, whilst he had been thinking through the "Damsel in Distress" plan he became distracted by the bizarre turn in the conversation within the room.

When Alec started to go on about "a different Magnus Bane" Jace couldn't help rolling his eyes. _Rule one of making stuff up: Try and make it sound at least slightly sane. _He almost wanted to hit his head on the door. If he let this go on much longer their cover would be blown. This, however led Jace to wonder as to what bad could actually come of just telling the truth, but he quickly scrapped the idea altogether as an image of a huge daunting Asylum for the Criminally Insane crept into his mind's eye. The only one who would perhaps believe them would be Magnus but he wasn't so sure that he could depend on _this_ Magnus for support.

_"I am not a kid! I bet I'm older then you for a start!"_

"_Want a bet? The likenesses between family members really can be quite startling can't it?"_

Jace clicked his tongue, _should have known better then to call Alec a kid_._ He'll go on about that for ages now. _

With his eye squinting through the gap Jace could just make out Alec, still dressed in his own clothes that seemed as damp and dirty as those Jace had left in a pile in his room. _I suppose I ought to intervene at some point. __Although, it does look like things are just about to get interesting... Oh well_, Jace sighed.

**The Present:**

Magnus got out of bed. He couldn't sleep anymore. Restless and disturbed by his dream he walked to the window. Snow was still falling, glistening beautifully as it fell past the streetlights that glowed with the presence of little stars that had fallen from their lofty perch in the skies.

But not even this fairytale scene could calm his troubled mind. Soon Magnus was walking up and down his room. The memory of his dream was now quickly receding and as he realised these memories were falling out of his grasp, like water trickling down a drain, he grew afraid that he would lose them forever. Was it a dream or was it a real memory? What if Alec couldn't come back? What if something happened to him in the past? What if he died, lost in the snow, and he would never know!

_No! Jace is there, they can take care of each other..._

A soft moan of anger, fear and distress left his lips.

Magnus snapped out of his fragile, emotional bubble when he heard a floorboard creak and then saw the dim shape of a figure in the door way to his room. Magnus snapped his fingers and a blue fiery orb lit the room.

"Would you mind not walking around so much in here? Some of us are trying to sleep you know."

"Simon? Why the heck are you **_still_** here?"


	5. Your Boyfriend is Kidnapping Us

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Mortal Instruments or Infernal Devices.**

**Author's Note: Happy Christmas everyone! Thank you for reading x**

"Enough."

The voice that spoke was quiet and hushed but somehow was heard clearly by all. It was Magnus Bane with his hand held up as if he were surrendering.

Will and Alec looked like they were on the verge of coming to blows but both halted to stare at the Warlock. Magnus looked between them curiously. They were so different and yet...He shook his head. No, it would do no good to go down that chain of thought. Life had suddenly become complicated enough and he now felt very tired.

"Charlotte, I have a proposition for you," his eyes still rested solely on the two young men before him, with their dark hair and blue eyes. "Let me take your two guests off of your hands. "

Straight away Charlotte was shaking her head. "No. They are Shadowhunters, curious ones but they are one of us, all the same. It is my personal duty to get to the bottom of this situation. I called you here because there was a link and I needed to consult you. But, as you have no knowledge of them, there is very little else you can do for us. I'm not interested in surrendering the care of two Shadowhunters to a Downworlder no matter how much of an ally you are to us." Her tone was a firm.

"I'm not saying I'll take care of them permanently, just until the Ball is over. Come on, the Lightwoods will whip up a storm if they find about these two. They have forged a Warlock's signature and their motives for arriving are undefined. That will look bad for you. They don't look like they are about to open up anytime soon. I just want to help," he said. He held up his hands with his palms open, signalling his willingness to be helpful.

Charlotte chewed her lip slightly.

"Do you mind if I bring in the one from outside? He is listening through the door so he might as well listen inside," said Jem.

"Ah, it's Jace None-of-your-business. I told you he wouldn't settle," sighed Will. It was he who strolled over to the door and threw it open. Jace had considered hiding but then, on second thoughts, there was no point. They knew he was there, had probably always known he was there. So there he was, standing in the centre of the doorway, seemingly without a care in the world.

He walked straight past Will, not even giving him a glance. Instead he went to stand beside Alec.

"Again, I think you would be better off letting me take them off your hands for a little while." Magnus was grinning now; he didn't need to argue his point. The little Shadowhunters had proven it for him.

"What will you do with them?" Charlotte asked, abruptly.

"Nothing in particular," Magnus shrugged, "Give them food probably, a place to sleep. That is all. Otherwise they can do as they wish as long as they remain in the house. It shall have to be Camille's, mind you." He was staring at his finger nails now, as if he had lost interest in the conversation.

"It's your choice," he added.

"Fine."

x-0-X-0-x

"Oh, great. Your boyfriend is kidnapping us. I preferred the other lot," Jace hissed in to Alec's ear.

After a long trip through the slush they had made it to the house where Magnus proposed to keep them. They felt like two dogs that had been adopted off the streets.

"He is not kidnapping us!" Alec hissed back. They were both sitting in a large room full of ornate furniture with a grand piano in the corner. It was an overly elaborate room, it was meant to be a room where people could relax and yet the two Shadowhunters felt like they could hardly move for fear of breaking something. It was all too formal which gave it an unreal feeling as if they were sitting in a museum exhibit.

They were sitting next to each other on a velvet sofa which had clawed feet which made it look as if it were a sleeping creature, ready to transform at any moment. But it didn't. It remained a chair, fortunately. Magnus had left them sitting together claiming that he had to "Check something, but would be back in no time at all."

They had watched him walk out and as soon as his shadow disappeared they had looked at each other with blank expressions. That was until Jace started accusing Magnus of being a kidnapper.

"Really, Alec, think about it! We aren't allowed to leave this house. We are prisoners and he took us here against our will. I think you'll find that that fulfils the definition of being kidnapped."

"He didn't use force to take us and he doesn't want anything in return. Anyway, we could have fought against it if we wanted to. We could have gotten out of going," Alec pointed out.

"Yes, because you would have been _so_ willing to give your boyfriend a good kick where it hurts," Jace replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. They had started their conversation with whispers in case Magnus came back quicker than they thought but all of that was forgotten now.

"Well it's not like he even remembers me, is it?" Alec burst out.

"That's because there is nothing to remember! You come after this, Alec! You can't expect him to psychically think 'I might date this guy one day' that's not how it works."

They were both on their feet now, shouting in each other's faces and Alec could feel his face heating up and his eyes burning, he felt like he wanted to cry, but he refused to do so, especially in front of Jace.

"I never said I wanted him to remember! I was just saying that I am not so ... besotted that I won't do what's necessary. If you had wanted to fight them I would have been right by your side, regardless of my relationship with Magnus!"_I do want him to remember. I am besotted... I can't fight Magnus, even if he doesn't know who I am. _

"And what would this "relationship" be exactly?"

Both boys spun on their heels. It was Magnus Bane. He was leaning against the door way, his eyes glinting as they reflected the flickering candlelight that dimly lit the room. They could think of nothing to say. All that could be heard in the room was their breathing and the ticking of a clock in the corner.

Eventually Jace met Magnus's cat-like eyes without fear. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," the Warlock replied. His expression was blank and gave nothing away.

Alec just looked between the two, speechless but Jace held his ground, "Look, whatever you heard doesn't matter. We aren't staying around here for long. So, there is no point in you trying to figure us out because it will make no difference at the end of the day. We aren't here to cause trouble."

_That has got to be a first_; Alec managed to think despite the all-consuming sense of numbness that was surging through his brain.

"You seem to be confused. _You_ don't control when you leave. You are under_ my_ care for two days and then you will return to the Institute and they will decide what happens to you."

"We haven't even done anything wrong," Jace could feel his pulse quicken. "The only thing you have against either of us is that we are suspicious, and why are we suspicious? Because we've worn different clothes with different accents and we're a bit muddled up. None of that is a crime."

"Ah, don't forget the most important point behind your incarceration and my personal interest in it. You," he pointed at Alec, "have my signature and I want to know why."

Jace laughed suddenly. Alec looked at him with a frown. "Shut up, Jace. This is serious!"

"I know it is, calm down. He's just been playing us, Alec. I'll bet he only heard the last part otherwise he would have more of a clue if you get my drift."

Magnus shrugged, "Maybe I did and maybe I didn't. Either way I am rather tired. We'll have plenty of time to talk tomorrow. For now it's time for you both to go to bed. After all, it has been a long day."

He snapped his fingers and all the candles in the room went out with a soft hiss. Alec and Jace blinked while their eyes adapted to the darkness.

"Come, come," they heard Magnus say in the darkness.

"That's just showing off," Jace grunted under his breath as they made their way towards the doorway.

"Please stop making people angry, Jace," Alec sighed, he too felt very tired all of a sudden despite the fact he had only be conscious for a few hours. His brief stint of unconsciousness hadn't left him very well rested if anything he now felt like he had run a marathon. He was physically and emotionally drained.

He heard a gentle sigh from somewhere nearby. "I wonder, is this what it's like having small children?"

x-0-X-0-x

Once Magnus was satisfied that the two Shadowhunters were asleep he returned to his study. He sat down at the desk, placing his elbow on its surface and cupping his chin in his hand. It had been a very curious day.

_What do I do next? Camille could come home anytime now, she'll just interrupt things. I need to get to the bottom of this sooner rather than later, _he thought to himself.


	6. Uncomfortable

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from the Mortal Instruments series or the Infernal Devices series.**

**Author's Note: Another chapter to wish you all a Happy New Year! (Even if it is a few days away). I hope that I can bring you a lot of new chapters in 2012 and, of course, the finale ;) But for now, here is chapter six. Thank you so much for reading and for all the story alerts and reviews. I LOVE you all!**

**Also it is important to ignore the events of COFA for the purposes of this fan fiction. I started it before it was published and therefore my plot is contradictory to the events in that book so this fic is based after COG. As for Clockwork Prince I haven't read it yet so this fic is also based after Clockwork Angel but ignores the events that occur in Clockwork Prince.**

There was something about the house that made Alexander Lightwood feel uncomfortable. Not that he felt comfortable at all in Victorian London, but this house in particular seemed to strike a negative chord in him.

He was lying in a four poster bed staring up at the ceiling. Everything was silent and dark but he could not sleep, despite feeling so tired. It was a strange feeling. The thing that niggled at his mind the most was the way the house did not fit with Magnus. This was a different Magnus from the one he knew, the one he loved. He knew that. But this… this house just did not go with Magnus…

Because it was not his house at all. Alec tried to remember what Magnus had said back at the Institute…

"_It shall have to be Camille's"_

That was what Magnus had said.

Alec could remember it now, all too clearly. He hadn't thought much of it at the time but in hindsight it troubled him. Who is Camille? Where is she now and what has she to do with Magnus?

It was probably nothing and yet Alec couldn't stop thinking about it. Whoever 'she' was he was in _her_ house, in _her_ territory and somehow it had become a home for Magnus. He sighed deeply and closed his eyes and soon enough, without even realising it, he fell asleep.

* * *

The next thing Alec knew the room was flooded with light and Jace was standing over him with a dripping wet flannel in hand, a flannel that moments ago had been in Alec's face.

"You ought to work on your reactions, Alec. This flannel could have just as easily been a knife, you know?" The grin, the gold hair, the insults; it was Jace alright.

"Oh, and just so you know we are still stuck in the grey land of petticoats and bonnets. By the Angel, I hate bonnets. Have I ever told you that before?"

Alec rubbed his eyes. "I'll put a bonnet on you if you don't leave me alone," he mumbled with a weak tone of annoyance that was already fading from his mind.

"If you do I will have to do something to you that I certainly won't regret." Jace stood up and walked towards the window.

Alec threw the pink quilt off his body and stood up to stretch. His feet settled on the floor apprehensively, the thick carpet felt so unusual beneath his hardened feet. He looked at the chair where he had dumped his clothes from the previous day, having chosen to sleep in his underwear, but they had vanished.

"Are there any clothes around here?" Alec asked with alarm.

Jace looked over his shoulder with a grin. He was already dressed in a similar attire to what the London Shadowhunters had given him yesterday. It was strange how well Jace suited the look of a Victorian gentleman. "I'd offer you some from my wardrobe but alas these were the only clothes in there," Jace exclaimed in mock distress.

"It's not funny," Alec replied curtly. There wasn't a wardrobe to be seen in this room. It was all frills and pinkness, prettiness over practicality.

"Don't worry," Jace said, "I'll go ask your boyfriend. He's bound to have something for you." And with that Jace casually walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

Alec didn't have to wait long before there was a knock at his door.

"Come in, Jace,"Alec called. But it was not Jace at all. He ought to have known, really. Especially considering it was a matter of fashion. Magnus was there, standing in the doorway with a wide grin.

"I hear you are suffering from a distinct lack of clothes." He looked Alec up and down in a way that made Alec blush uncomfortably. Still grinning Magnus strolled in to the centre of the room. Folded over his arm was a pile of clothes. There was a cravat involved… and lace… Alec shuddered slightly.

"Luckily enough I have a few things in your size that would suit you perfectly," Magnus purred.

"I-I," Alec began to stutter, "I would rather just wear what I came in. They were on the chair last night and now-"

"And then I did you the huge favour of disposing of them in the bin," Magnus cut in. "You can thank me later, but for now, my strange little signature forging friend, here are your new clothes."

Magnus swooped out of the room in a flash leaving the clothes in a tidy bundle at the end of Alec's bed. Alec had no other choice but to wear them. He shuddered as he picked each garment up to see the extent of his torture.

* * *

Much later Alec descended the grand staircase. He felt ridiculous, more than ridiculous in fact. He felt like the Mad Hatter from _Alice in Wonderland. _And that was not a good thing. When he had first looked in the mirror he was pretty sure that a little bit of him had died inside.

Once he got to the bottom of the stairs he realised he was completely lost. Not only in terms of direction but in life itself, he was faced with a huge dilemma. Who would he rather have as a witness to this moment of shame, Magnus, his future lover, or Jace, his sarcastic parabatai who would probably never let him live it down?

Neither option was particularly appealing but the better of the two evils would have to be Magnus. Besides, there were a few things he wanted to find out from Magnus, especially about Camille.

He had to take a guess at which room he would find him in. There was one room where he could hear the tinkling of a piano through the heavy wooden door. Jace was probably in there, carrying on with life as if they hadn't been torn away from their life's in the US, torn away from their own time period.

No, he would not go in to that room. But where would Magnus be? He looked around him. There was one room at the far end of the corridor that had a brass plate nailed to it. On it was inscribed 'Library'. With a sense of growing curiosity Alec walked towards it. The library was as good a place as any to begin his search.

He pushed the door tentatively. The library was a wondrous place. There were books everywhere in a seemingly random order, but that was thing there was an indescribable order to the chaos. And Magnus was there, sitting in a leather armchair with book lying open on his lap. Alec could see that the book was very old, a hardback with yellowing pages.

"I've been expecting you, Alexander," Magnus said.

"Really?" Alec said, with some surprise.

"No, but it would have been really impressive if I had," Magnus smiled. Alec couldn't help but smile back. There was something about Magnus. There always had been, at least in Alec's eyes.

There was a moment of silence and then Alec walked over to another armchair close to Magnus's and sat down.

"Do you like the clothes?" Magnus asked.

Alec looked down at himself, for a moment he had forgotten all about it.

"The blue broach really brings out your eyes," Magnus said, absentmindedly. Suddenly Alec lost all the ease he had had just moments ago in Magnus's presence.

"I wanted to ask you something," he said slowly, hoping that he could distract Magnus from talking about his ridiculous clothes. It didn't matter how much Magnus complimented him, and it did feel good when Magnus did that, he still felt like a demented clown.

"Go on," Magnus said.

Alec took a deep breath and then the words just tumbled out, "Who is Camille?" He hated the way his voice sounded. He knew how much of a spoiled boyfriend he was coming across as, but he couldn't help it. He had to know.

Magnus stared at him for a few moments, "I don't think that's any of your business."

"No, I guess it isn't," Alec replied. _It's nothing,_ he thought to himself. _She's nothing… I'm sure of it. Why did I have to be so nosey?_

Magnus looked at him a little longer and then shifted his gaze to the open French windows behind Alec. "If you must know, she is the owner of this house. But she is away at the moment. I'm not sure if she'll come back or not," his voice wavered slightly at this point, but Alec didn't notice it. Magnus shrugged, "When I came here I had nothing. This is the only place I can call home at the moment."

"I see," Alec said quietly, trying to process what he had been told.

Magnus recognised that tone and the way the Shadowhunter kept avoiding his eyes with a blush on his fair cheeks. Suddenly things seemed to fall in to place. _This Shadowhunter must be an obsessive fan of some kind,_ he thought to himself with a sudden burst of inspiration. There was no other explanation for why the Shadowhunter was so interested in his relation to Camille and why the boy had forged his signature. It must have all been an elaborate ruse just so he could meet the famous Magnus Bane. It was a weird situation but the boy was probably harmless. He wasn't quite sure what the blond boy had to do with it, although perhaps he was the boy's carer. Well, he wasn't doing a very good job at that. Yes, he was sure he understood it all now. The boy was obviously besotted with him. The way he looked at him, the way he blushed and the way he talked to him… yes, all the signs of an obsessed admirer were there. He would have to let him down gently. What a shame it was that behind such beautiful eyes lay a deranged psychopath, ah, well.

"Why don't we go outside for a bit? It is a lovely day out there," Magnus said, taking Alec by surprise. _It will be for the best to do it outside; the calmness of the garden might soothe the young Shadowhunters mind after I crush his deluded little dreams. Plus there aren't any dangerous objects out there, one cannot be too careful around Nephilim._

Alec turned around to look out of the window behind him. He could see trees bending over in the wind. Not his idea of a 'lovely day'. But before he knew it Magnus had grabbed his arm and was dragging him outside, in to the garden.

* * *

Alec felt confused and disorientated as he looked around at the wild garden full of the smell of lavender and wondered at how this 'Camille' had managed to create such a vibrant vision of a natural paradise in the middle of smog-ridden London.

"Now, Alexander. I have some important things to say to you and important things deserve a gentle scene in which to absorb them," Magnus said with his arms outstretched so as to reference the garden in full.

"First of all I would just like to say that there are few things I can say for certain in regards to my own character, but the one thing I can say for certain is that my heart is true. I am honest in love."

Alec stared at him. He watched as the warlock's tailcoat blew behind him and his hair ruffled in the breeze. Magnus's eyes were firm and unchanging. Alec looked down at his shoes, "You don't need to tell me any of this. The nature of your heart is no business of mine."

"Are you trying to tell me that I have misread you?" Magnus chuckled, "Do you think me a fool, Alexander?"

Alec looked up sharply at this. "No."

Magnus tipped his head to one side and spoke with an air of curiosity, "Which question is that an answer to, the one about me misreading you or the one about me being a fool?" He smiled at Alec playfully, fully aware of the turmoil he was causing in Alec's heart.

"I don't want to have this conversation Jace will wonder where I am… I ought to go back inside," Alec answered clumsily. The conversation was undergoing an awkward turn of events. He wished for a moment that they could go back to discussing blue broaches.

"I wish you would not keep looking away from me every time we have a conversation," Magnus remarked with annoyance.

Alec looked to the door he had just been dragged through. He would have to walk right past Magnus to get back to the safety of the house. _If there was any one moment when I would give anything for Jace to sneak up on me, it would be now._

Magnus saw the direction of his gaze. "Escape if you must, young Shadowhunter." He pronounced with a savage precision that cut through Alec's will to disregard his love for the warlock. "I guess the sum of what I wanted to say was just that I am in a relationship with someone at the moment and for all your… beauty nothing you can do can make me waver on that point. Well, I cannot promise that I'm not willing to have a little bit of fun, but apart from that I am simply off limits, Alexander," Magnus smirked.

Alec stared at him. He felt like he had been struck by lightning and a rush of thoughts spun round his head until he felt dizzy with confusion. _Somebody else? Somebody else! What the hell? _He felt his eyes burn at the very thought of it.

_No, wait. It would self-centred of me to think I was the first person he had ever loved… Well, it's pretty obvious that he has been with other people. He's Magnus freaking Bane. _

_Doesn't mean I have to be freaking happy about it, especially with all of his 'willing to have a bit of fun' crap. Does he say that to people when I'm not there? If he has dared even __**utter**__ that line to __**anyone**__ while I've been stuck in London in the 1800s I will __**seriously**__ kill him. _

All of these thoughts and more flooded through his mind and Magnus watched with curiosity and then a touch of fear as the Shadowhunter's expression evolved from miserable dejection to fierce anger.

"I'm just going to assume from that look of," Magnus's hands fluttered in the air as he searched for the right word. Anger suddenly didn't seem a satisfactory description. "Well, that storm on your face, that my initial assumption that you were interested was correct? If it helps at all, I am flattered. Blue eyes and black hair are my favourite combination, you know."

_If looks could kill…_ Magnus thought to himself with a wince. He certainly hadn't experienced this level of anger in response to a rejection before. But by goodness the Shadowhunter was getting more attractive by the minute...


	7. He Could Be Alec Lightwood On His Own

_Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or The Mortal Instruments/ Infernal Devices series._

_Author's Note: I intend to revise some of the previous chapters (considerably) over the next few weeks so please forgive any inconsistencies that arise between them while they are under construction, hopefully I can improve them and make them good since it has been a few years since I started this story :D . Also, lots of thanks to everyone reading this I** really, really** appreciate it x _

* * *

It hurt to look at him. This was a different man from the one he knew, the one who used to make him laugh, feel important and even special.

Alec had never really thought about the idea of love at first sight. Soppy fantasies had never really been his 'thing' but subconsciously he had imagined his first meeting with Magnus Bane to have been a special event. There he had stood, that flashy, outrageous warlock saying 'Call me' to him, of all people, the reserved, cagey Shadowhunter. Magnus had hardly known_ anything_ about Alec and yet he showed an interest in him. In a way, Alec had half dreamed that there was a **connection** between them that was sparked in that moment. A love that could, somehow, just maybe, defy time.

But now he had to face the truth. There was no special link between people. No silver thread of fate that sewed hearts together. Suddenly an idea he hardly knew he believed in had been crushed at his feet. Maybe his relationship had just been founded on desire and animal attraction and didn't really go any deeper. '_Otherwise, wouldn't there be something between us? Wouldn't he see something in me, something to love, like he will in the future?' _thought Alec. He didn't want to be a joke the way Magnus was making him out to be. He didn't want to be seen as some weird Shadowhunter that had showed up on the street and behaved like a love-struck puppy, with a love that was unrequited. He refused to be that man.

He put a hand up to touch his face. His throat was burning whilst silent tears manifested themselves on his cheeks. His anger lingered, if anything he was angry at himself for being so pathetic. Turning away from Magnus he walked back in to the house as quickly as possible. The world was like a blur. He thought he heard someone shout his name but he refused to look back. He found himself out on the street and decided to keep on walking. Where? He had no idea.

* * *

"You've lost him? You've lost my brother?"

Magnus leaned forward on the chair, resting his chin in his hand. "That is one way of putting it."

Jace stared at him, waiting for Magnus to say more but he didn't. "That's just _great_. What on earth did you say to him? He's pretty delicate at the moment."

"I- I…" Magnus's forehead creased as he tried to think of a way to explain his actions without being offensive. He couldn't. "He doesn't look like he's your brother."

"Listen, Bane. Don't change the subject. This whole mess is your fault."

"HOW? How is any of this my fault? I am doing you a favour, Nephilim, and don't you forget that. If the Lightwoods and the Clave knew about all the strange events surrounding your arrival they would not treat you as kindly as I." Magnus's eyes seemed to burn as he stood up and glared over Jace.

"Don't give me that crap." Jace jumped up, meeting Magnus's gaze with as much force as he could muster. "You're not helping us out of the goodness of your heart, Downworlder. The Clave will be just as suspicious of you considering your name is quite literally written all over it. It's in your best interest to keep us locked up here until you can find a way to wash your hands of us."

"I don't know how you got my signature but don't you dare pull me in to your trouble, whatever that may be."  
"There we go, there it is," Jace snapped his fingers in the air, "the real reason behind your 'kindness'- self-protection. Well, if you'll excuse me, I've had quite enough of your hospitality." He made to leave the room but found himself trapped whilst the air in front of him rippled with blue sparks.

"I've also grown tired of your games," Magnus said, quietly. "I've tried to be polite. I've tried to be patient. But I really do need an answer now. Who are you really and where have you come from?"

* * *

The weather was still horrible. There was slush on the streets and the wind was bitingly chilly. Alec shivered but kept on walking. For hours he had been forcing one foot in front of the other as if somehow he could walk to the 21st century. A man could dream.

He looked down at himself as he walked. It was strange how wearing such different clothes made him feel so strange as if he was the one who was different, not Magnus at all. Every time he caught a glimpse of his reflection in a shop window he had to remind himself that it wasn't a stranger. Everything felt like a dream.

The blue brooch on his lapel was the thing that annoyed him the most. It was the item that was the least like anything he would ever dream of wearing and it brought back painful memories of Magnus's rejection. "_The blue brooch really brings out your eyes" _Magnus had said. _Is that all I am? A pair of eyes. _

Viciously he grabbed at the brooch and tore it from his jacket. He let it fall from his hands and clutter on to the ground.

It was a few minutes before he noticed the tugging of small hands on the back of his jacket. Surprised he turned around to see a small boy standing there, clutching at the brooch.

"Sir, you dropped this," he said quietly, looking up at Alec through a wild mop of dark hair. He was covered in grime and painfully thin.

Alec didn't know what to say.

The world gradually came in to focus again. _None of this is a dream_. It was all painfully real. There were horse-drawn carriages moving down cobbled streets, men shouting at each other through windows and women tugging along small children. There were noises and smells all around him that he had never experienced before in his life. Being in the London Institute had been one thing and noticing the changes in Magnus another, but he had not yet recognised the wider world of the Victorian era beyond the small confines of bedrooms and drawing rooms, until now that is.

He looked down at the boy and spoke softly, "How old are you?"

The boy crooked his head slightly, "Around 10, sir. But, you dropped this," he held it up even higher, not knowing if Alec had heard him before.

Alec's heart missed a beat at the memory of Max, another small boy. _So vulnerable._ "Why didn't you just take it?"

"Mama said stealin's wrong," the boy said. He glanced at the brooch wistfully for a moment and then his eyes shifted left and right. "Besides there are too many coppers around 'ere, sir. Not worth the trouble," a cheeky grin spread across his face.

Alec couldn't help but smile back, "Well, it's not stealing if you find it on the street, is it?"

"You don't want it? I saw you drop it, sir. And a thing like this must be worth an awful lot!"

"No. I don't want it. Please, keep it." Alec bent down and looked straight in to the boys grey eyes and touched his hand lightly, pushing the boys fingers closed around the brooch.

'Thank you," the boy said. In a flash the boy was gone, lost in a maze of alleyways and street corners.

Straightening himself up Alec glanced back at his reflection in a nearby window and finally he saw **himself**there. The clothes and everything around him were strange and different but for once he didn't care. He didn't need Magnus Bane to be his Magnus Bane in order to be Alec Lightwood. He could be Alec Lightwood on his own.

* * *

**In The Present**

Simon wasn't quite sure what to do. Magnus had been staring out the window for hours. He hadn't so much had twitched, or blinked for that matter. Well, not as far as Simon could tell.

_Was it alright to poke a warlock?_ he wondered. The real question was whether he was willing to take the risk and considering there was nothing else to do he was growing very tempted.

Slowly he stood up and walked over to where Magnus was perched on the end of a settee. His hand was just about to tap the warlock's shoulder when Magnus said, "Touch me and you die."

"I'm sure that's illegal," Simon replied taking a few steps backwards.

"Stopped you though, didn't it?"

"True," Simon admitted.

"I still don't get why you're still here," Magnus muttered as he turned his gaze back to the window.

"Because I'm snowed in here, I don't how many times I have to explain this to you! It's not a personal choice you know."

"Now you're just being offensive on purpose. Who wouldn't choose to stay here? Doesn't know what he's talking about, does he Chairman Meow?" The small tabby purred under his touch.

Before long there was silence again.

It was awkward.

"So," Simon began again. "Does this help you get Jace and Alec back from Victoriansville?"

Magnus turned his head back to Simon, "And how, may I ask, would staring out of the window achieve that?"

"I don't know, you're the one doing it." Simon crossed his arms defensively, "I thought you might be prepping yourself in order to use some Jedi mind tricks or something."

Magnus arched a slender eyebrow.

"That was a joke, by the way," Simon added.

"Well the answer is no. I just enjoy looking wistfully out of the window, is there something wrong with that?"  
"No."

"Good," Magnus murmured. Losing himself watching the flurry of snow drift passed his window was all he could do to distract himself.

If only he could stop **thinking**. Because the only solution his mind could come up with was just… impossible. And ridiculous, let alone dangerous. But what about Alec? What kind of danger s could Alec be facing lost in a time so different from his own. _And what if he finds me and… doesn't like me. Would not liking who I was stop him loving who I am today? He's so fracturable…_

_I must find him._


	8. What Sort of Warlock Am I?

**Disclaimer: I do not own any the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices series and so in turn the characters are not mine.**

"We have both told you all of those things already. I am exactly who I say I am. I am a Shadowhunter. Where have I come from? USA. The problem is not who I am or where I have come from, it's when I've come from that is the issue," said Jace. The game of covering up the impossible was becoming too tiresome.

"What do you mean to say by that?" Magnus whispered slowly. As Jace looked at him he could almost _see_ the cogs turning in the warlock's mind. He knew. Somehow Magnus already knew.

"You have your answers but you refuse to believe them," said Jace.

The clock carried on ticking on the mantelpiece and birds (mostly pigeons) cried out for attention outside. Everything was the same as it was before Jace had spoken everything except Magnus who took a deep breath and stared at the ticking clock.

"Quarter past eleven," he murmured to himself.

"Are you even listening to me?" Jace demanded.

"Oh, I heard you. You are right, I must admit. I have been terribly and wilfully ignorant." He giggled to himself like a mad man. "What sort of Warlock am I? Who is this Magnus Bane who would deny what is, essentially, possible."

He turned to Jace with a wide smile. "Thank you. I don't often say that to people, but thank you." He raised a hand and Jace fell to the floor. Gently Magnus draped his limp body on an armchair.

Magnus touched the young man's face. "Sorry about that. Well, I'm not completely sorry. I need space and time to think."

He walked back to the library. When he had sat there earlier he hadn't even considered the idea that time travel could be involved. _'A different Magnus Bane'_ Alexander had said. It was all too clear to him now. It was the only thing that made sense and it was _possible_.

_They must be from the future. I've never met them before today and I would know those eyes. And the way they dressed, I've never seen clothes quite like that before. How could I have been so stupid? Still, this is no time to linger on the past. Preparations must be made for the future_.

He sat down at a desk and began to write:

Dear Myself,

This letter is very difficult for me to write. I have been a fool and ignored the facts that have been staring at me for the last few days.

I write this letter so you can be informed when the time comes. There is a young man here called Alexander Lightwood. I have never seen him before in my life however it appears that I most definitely will in the future.

My hope is that this name will mean something to you because he and you are my future.

When I have talked to him I have seen love in his eyes. And anger, if I am to be truthful (and if I cannot be truthful to myself then I am lost). But I believe this love is not meant for me, but is hopefully earned by you (whilst the anger was aimed at me alone).

He will end up in your past. (If you hadn't worked that out by this point in my letter, then my intelligence has degraded rapidly in my old age which would be a most unfortunate occurrence so I will not linger for too long on that possibility).

The important thing you need to know is that you must not interfere with the event that brings him here. I will deal with this side of things and you must sit and wait for him to return. I'm sure that will be a difficult task but if there will exist a love between him and I in the future then you have no reason to doubt that I will protect my future assets.

Events like this can shape a person. Alexander being here will change him which is why you must let it be. It is his _fate_, if you will allow me to use that phrase. You will not remember meeting him before, again I shall deal with that aspect. But whilst I will remove the memories I cannot promise that it will not change something in me to have met that young man. Which is another reason why we must let this event occur because you are the result of everything that has happened to me including this event no matter how suppressed it may be in my mind.

I promise to take care of him.

Yours sincerely,

_Magnus Bane_

(I need not tell you how magnificent I am, of course.)

He slotted the letter in to a golden envelope and left the house. There was only one person he could trust with this letter. _Tessa, beautiful, enchanting, trustworthy Tessa. _

* * *

Tessa took the envelope from his hand as gently as if it were made of china.

"How will I know when to give it you?" she asked.

"The day I tell you that I have fallen in love with a Lightwood," Magnus replied, not meeting her eyes.

"So it's true. Will and Jem told me about what happened earlier in the week. Only your relationship with this gentleman is all backwards."

"You have it one, Miss Gray."

"And you won't remember giving me this letter or meeting him?"

"No. I have decided against it. It would make things too complicated. Besides," he grinned. "I don't want to spoil the moment when he first meets me. When that time comes I will be ready for him in a way that I am not now."

* * *

In the present:

She had waited until Christmas before she gave him the letter. She didn't even give him a chance to discuss it with her. She did not want to be put on the spot and forced to recite what he had, in the past, insisted on forgetting.

Casually she had walked in to a restaurant where they were having a meal and she had just left it there, on the table. When she arrivedi t was clear they had been arguing and the look Alexander Lightwood gave her in that moment when Magnus recognised her had made her worry that she may have aggravated things just by appearing. That was why she did not hang around after she had discharged her duty.

Magnus did not open the letter. His day had been fractious. Alec had been in a bad mood and they had parted on a sour note because of it. That was why when he got home he threw the envelope in a corner and soon forgot about it. If Tessa had wanted something surely she would have just spoken to him? _She knows where I live if she needs me. I have no time to play covert games._ He thought this to himself in a fit of annoyance, annoyance that had been inspired by Alec.

All those years Tessa Gray had carried his letter and Magnus had not even bothered to open it at the right time. But now with his lover lost in time that gold envelope was catching his eye. _Could it be? Could it be something to do with all of this?_


End file.
